Silent Knight

by Brony 2-Ma-Ro

Chapter 4b: The Arrival

Chapter 4 (B): The Arrival
by: Brony-2-Ma-Ro

The blue pegasus breathed deeply, enjoying the cool wind tugging at her emerald mane and tail. Flipping herself, she began a steep, inverted dive. Several hundred feet below, the green patch that was the Canterlot Gardens swiftly grew, filling her vision behind the gold-tinted goggles. Her purple and ebony flightsuit, trimmed with splashes of gold, hugged her limbs tightly, ensuring proper blood-flow to the brain, especially during high-G turns, and other strenuous maneuvers.

500...

300...

100...

Now!

With practiced ease, she righted herself, zigzagging between a tall fir and the marble statue of a pony, her slipstream causing the orange flag it held to flap violently. Adjusting the sharp turn into a gentle curve, she alighted herself upon a small boulder, set within a patch of posies. Despite her best efforts, her muzzle broke into a small, self-satisfied smile.

She might not have an audience, but she could at least enjoy herself a little.

"Not bad," a mossy voice spoke from her shoulder. "But would ya mind shiftin yerself a bit? Well, unless you enjoy cold showers."

The pegasus blushed, chagrined at the lapse in her surroundings. "My apologies, gardener," she said to the aging stallion. Fluttering her wings, she strafed gently onto the grass.

The groundskeeper, an earth pony of greying beige, smiled back."Thank ya kindly, miss." He shifted the hose in his hoof, giving the spot she had just occupied a thorough spray. He glanced back at her, eyes narrowed. "Say, ain't I seen you some place before?"

She sighed inwardly. This routine again. "I don't believe so. I'm not one of the Wonderbolts, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, no." Cocking an eyebrow, he scratched his chin. "You must be one of them... Er, whatsit? Shadey... Colts?"

Well. That was new.

"Shadowbolt, actually," she said, biting back a sharp retort regarding the "colt" remark. "The elite force to Her Sovereign Majesty of the Night. And I'm afraid that I'm not at liberty to tell you what I'm doing here. Royal business."

"Wasn't going to ask," he chuckled. "But on the off chance you're looking for her Royal Starryness, she passed through about half an hour back, over towards the smithy." He turned back to the flowers, shooting a final remark over his shoulder. "Not that a simple gardener such as myself pays attention to such things. You have yourself a fine day, Miss."

Surprised, but resolving not to give him the satisfaction of having guessed her intentions, she simply smiled, nodded, and made her way in the direction he had indicated. As the building hove into view, she saw that neither the blacksmith, nor her mistress, were outside. However, she could hear the sounds of conversation coming from within, through the open window. However, as she drew closer, the voices became much more... distinct.

"A little harder, if you please."

"Begin' yer pardon, but any harder, and something's going to break."

The first voice was Luna's, no doubt of that. The other was that of the blacksmith, Ash Coat. The pegasus wrinkled her muzzle, as if she had just smelled something stale.

A series of sharp grunts from within.

"Ungh! Perhaps, if you just twisted it a bit to the right, Ash...?"

"Mmf! Yours or mine?"

"Apologies, mine. So, your left."

"Yeah, that feels about right. Mind sqeezin' a little harder, your Highness? Not sure if I've got this right."

The pegasus' eyes widened. Even from inside the forge, Ash Coat's voice sounded somewhat... muffled.

They weren't... Were they?

Oh, this she had to see...

---

The inside of the forge was surprisingly cool, well insulated from the heat of the adjacent fire pit. It was, in Luna's opinion, homely, with a small loft providing sleeping quarters above, and moderate furnishings on the ground floor. Luna also noticed a small hatch, which, she presumed, lead to the root cellar of some sort. At the moment, the two ponies were attempting to liberate the sword from its sheath.

Thus far, the sheath was winning out.

"Hrk! Luna, are you sure about this? We could wait for those eggheads..."

"The sooner, the better. I believe this problem should be resolved in the most expeditious manner possible."

Ash, currently gripping the guard with his teeth, was forced to twist his head to an exceedingly uncomfortable angle. "Well, who am I to argue with a princess?" He muttered, giving it a solid tug. The only reward for his effort was a strained neck, and an irritated grunt from the opposite end.

Luna, all four hooves planted firmly on the floor, was putting her all into her mental grip on the sword. The blue aura slid and slithered, refusing to adhere to its surface. It was only through brute force she was able to hold it at all, and the effort was taxing her greatly. "Very funny, Ash. Now is not the time to play coy." Through her horn, she felt the blade shift within its casing. Despite the throbbing pain in her temple, she gave a small smile. "Ah, I believe we are nearly there."

"Heh. Yeah,I've heard her say that before."

Her focus shaken, the sword slipped entirely from her grasp. With nothing to brace against, both it and Ash went tumbling across the room. The two hit the wall with a thump and a clatter, resulting in a tin cup to fall from a shelf, bouncing impudently off Ash's nose. Luna turned to the source of the distraction; a blue mare, with fiery green hair, and a purple flightsuit. She was resting upon the windowsill, her hooves crossed beneath her chest. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to suppress a grin at the spectacle before her; a princess and a blacksmith, caught in what could easily be construed as an awkward situation.

Luna sighed, but nodded in acknowledgement. "Nightfyre. So good of you to find me."

Groaning, Ash staggered to his feet, one hoof massaging his temple. One look at the Shadowbolt was all he needed to confirm his fears. "Oh, excellent. You'll forgive me if I don't look presentable."

Nightfyre returned a coy smile, speaking with dramatic overtones. "Oh, Dirt Coat, no need. Why, I do believe that's a new layer of grime. And soot, too! All for little old me." Her mouth twisted to one side. "I'm not interrupting some private moment between you an my Mistress, am I?"

Ash Coat smirked. "No, not at all, I was expecting a headache anyway."

Luna suppressed a snigger at Nightfyre's twitch of annoyance, but decided to diffuse the situation, before another hour-long bout of insults erupted between the two. Fortunately, she knew exactly what would gain the undivided attention of her captain. "Captain Nightfyre of the Shadowbolts. We understand thou bears news for us."

Nightfyre immediately snapped to attention. She always was a sucker for the Royal "We." Ash Coat politely looked away.

"My Lady, as we speak, Sovereign Wind, The Harmonious, and the The Triumphant approach Canterlot, carrying ambassadors from the surrounding nations."

"You have our thanks, Nightfyre. This news is expected. When are they due to arrive?"

"At their current heading, within the hour. Two more approach from the east, but I expect their arrival will be some time later. I'm sorry for such late notice, I had hoped to alert you sooner..."

Luna held up a hoof. "No need to apologize. Many thanks. Your squad is escorting them?"

Nightfyre nodded. "Yes, My Lady."

There was one concern that she had not voiced. She hoped to discuss it in private with the Princess, but circumstances would not allow it. She resolved to ask Luna as soon as possible. The Princess had already turned to the blacksmith. Ash Coat was once again tinkering with the sword, which he had braced with his hoof on a nearby table.

Luna gave a polite cough. "Ash, my friend, I thank you for your counsel, and your insight. But I regret that I must ask that you return the weapon."

"Got it," came the curt reply.

Behind her goggles, Nightfyre's expression became quizzical. "Wait... Weapon? What is this about, your Highness?"

Luna sighed. "Another time, Captain." Her gaze returned to Ash Coat who hadn't moved from his speculative pose. "Ash, we should postpone this for another time. There are matters I must attend to."

At this, Ash looked up, a triumphant gleam in his eye. "I'm afraid you misunderstand, 'Highness." He grinned. "I mean: 'I've got it!'"

With a final tug, and the sound of metal on lacquer, the blade was brought fully into view.

A deep black permeated the metal, yet a faint blue tint shone where the light glanced off it. It appeared narrower than the scabbard, like a colt wearing his elder brother's saddle. Nightfyre saw Luna crack a smile at her friend's expression. It was rare indeed to see Ash so elated, and the smile on his face seemed almost comical. "Well done!" Luna said. "How did you manage it?"

Ash carefully returned it part way to sheathe, with . "Well, I still stand by my original theory: It requires two human hands to unsheathe. In this instance however," he nodded to Nightfyre. "I believe a princess, an earth pony, and a numbskull would suffice as well."

Ignoring the insult, Nightfyre looked at Luna. "Mistress, forgive me, but what is he talking about?"

Luna thought a moment. "Well when he said 'numbskull...'"

Nightfyre groaned at the jibe. "I meant, your Highness, what are..." She tried to find the word. "Humanands?"

Ash opened his mouth to speak, but shut it quickly. Nightfyre saw a look pass between him and her mistress, but couldn't discern its meaning. He returned his gaze to Nightfyre. "Well..."

"Lookout!"

"Gangway!"

"Incoming!"

"Hello ground!"

The entire building shuddered under twin, pegasus-sized impacts. Nightfyre cupped her head in her hooves. "I swear to the moon above, those two will be the death of me."

Removing her head from the window, she found the source of her troubles on the roof. Two white pegasi, wearing identical flightsuits, were entangled among the shingles. A growl emanated from her throat. "Criss! Cross! Down! NOW!"

Giggling like a pair of colts mare-watching, the two stallions scrambled apart, skidding to the edge of the roof. Just before hitting the ground, they righted, executing two flawless four-point landings, before proceeding to dust themselves, and each other, off. Their goggles hung askew from their necks, smudged and cracked from the impact.

"Last approach was too steep, Cap'n."

"Yup. Someone put the garden off-kilter to the mountain, you see."

"Of course, had it been on-kilter, that would've been an impressive landing."

"So it's whoever-put-the-garden-wrong's fault. Nothing to do with-"

*Thwackthwock*

"OoWw!!"

Criss and Cross Wind. Identical twins, with unmatched dual-flying prowess. Twice the horsepower, twice the efficiency, twice the pain in the flank. Nightfyre shook out her hoof. Smacking two equally thick skulls with one hoof was an art she had learned to master. While some might have constituted it as "striking a fellow officer," anypony who dealt with these two would beg to differ. In fact, she wasn't entirely convinced that they didn't enjoy it.

"You two!" She scolded. "Why aren't you aboard The Triumphant? You were charged with ensuring the ambassadors' safety! If anything has happened due to your negligence, I'll have the pair of you on latrine duty until-"

Criss (or Cross) interrupted, speaking in a tone usually reserved for foals. "Aw, 'Nighty' is mad, isn't she, bwudder?"

"She sure is cwanky," agreed Cross (or Criss). "I don't think she's had her nappy."

"Let's tuck her in with her bottle. Oh hey Princess-"

"LUNA!"

The two Shadowbolts squeaked out the last word, caught completely off guard as the Princess exited the forge. The pair quickly prostrated themselves, faces planted firmly in the grass. Nightfyre caught a quick wink from Luna, before the alicorn turned to the stallions, putting on a stern expression.

"Criss. Cross. This behavior is unbecoming of my elite. Explain yourselves at once, lest I banish the pair of you!"

Nightfyre had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing as the two quivered in fear. Though she didn't know if they were aware of the ruse or not, she still found the spectacle hilarious.

They both shot up to attention. "P-please don't banish us." Criss whimpered. "We were just having fun!"

"Yeah." Said Cross. "We didn't know you were here. We were just joking. We disrespect no to meant you. I mean..."

As the two babbled out apologies, Luna appeared to consider their plea. Turning to Nightfyre, she spoke. "What say you, Nightfyre. Shall we take pity on them?"

Nightfyre decided to milk this for all it was worth. "Well..."

Driven to utter terror at her hesitation, both twins immediately prostrated themselves at her feet, clutching her hooves for dear life. "Don't let us get banished to the dungeon! We'll be good! Promise." They said in unison, their eyes half-again their usual size.

Keeping as straight a face as possible, Nightfyre "relented." "Oh, I suppose they deserve another chance-Ack!" Beneath her flightsuit, her blue features turned purple due to lack of oxygen. Normally, she wouldn't all that mind a pair of strapping stallions embracing her, but in this case, breathing was a necessary evil. "Get... off..."

Leaping back, Criss and Cross sprung to attention once more.

"Yes ma'am: Criss."

"...and Cross."

"Reporting for duty."

"The Triumphant,"

"The Harmonious,"

"and Sovereign Wind are on"

"final approach, and should"

"be docking within fifteen minutes."

"Permission to return"

"to our posts,"

"Ma'am."

Ignoring the headache that came with their trademark double-talk, Nightfyre massaged her throat. "Permission granted. Meet at the rally point once docking is complete."

Both twins saluted, and spoke, in unison. "Yes Ma'am!"

As one, the pair replaced their goggles over their eyes. Wings extended, they shot into the air, spiraling in a double helix for several hundred feet, before veering northeast behind the mountain. Luna chuckled, shaking her head. "Those two are quite the hoofful, aren't they?"

Nightfyre rolled her eyes, though realizing the gesture meant nothing behind her own pair of goggles, and settled with something halfway between a sigh and a groan. "Like you wouldn't believe, your Highness. When they aren't switching names, they're hitting on every mare that comes within thirty hooves. It's like foalsitting a pair of colts with the libido of fifty-year old stallions."

Luna smiled at the picture. "Well, you do an excellent job. I could think of no better mare to captain my chosen elite. Which reminds me," she said, nodding to the castle. "Shouldn't you be alerting the docks of the arrivals?"

Glad the Princess couldn't see her blush, Nightfyre bowed. "At once, my Lady."

Luna nodded, reverting once again to the third person. "We shall meet you there shortly. Serve me well, Nightfyre."

With a leap and a bound, Nightfyre took off. With the wind rushing past, her thoughts moved on to other topics. Castle security, amenities of the arrivals, keeping her squad in check...

She had all but forgotten about the strange object, which seemed to concern Princess Luna so greatly.

---

Luna continued to watch as her captain disappeared behind the spires of Canterlot. Even after she vanished, Luna stayed where she was. She saw that the sun had past its zenith, and that some of the nobles had begun wandering the garden in the afternoon light. For perhaps a minute, Luna felt as if all was well with the world.

"Yer Highness?"

She glanced to her right, as Ash Coat joined her outside. The two sat in comfortable silence for a time. Ash was the first to speak.

"I know you haven't told me everything." He held up a hoof, as Luna started to reply. "I'm not askin' you to. But just so you know, if you need somepony 'sides yer sister to chat with..."

Silence reigned once more. Now Luna spoke. "What have you learned, regarding the blade?"

Ash smiled producing the sheathed weapon. The sliver of blade still visible glinted, as if searching for a victim. "Well," said Ash, "While you and your errand-colts were fooling about out here, I ran a few quick tests of my own.

"The blade itself is composed of several materials. A flexible core, surrounded by progressively stronger alloys. The edge of the blade has a thin layer of what I believe to be glass, sharpened to a level I can barely comprehend. This edge, in turn, is coated with some sort of counter-corrosive material, which is applied to the blade directly from the inside of the sheath."

Luna swallowed. "And... just how sharp did you say this blade was?"

Ash held up a small cone of metal. "Look for yourself."

She stared at the piece. The metal was dented and dull, but shown a bright, raw silver where the blade had sliced through. It was then she recognized where she had seen the it before: the tip of the blacksmith's anvil. "That's... Efficient. If a little overdramatic."

He gave her an odd look. "Well excuse me, miss No-Indoor-Voice." He laughed. "Besides, I buy my anvils in bulk. I remember my last order got delayed round February. Some lovesick stallion in Ponyville got snagged on the cartload of 'em..." He shook his head, tossing the metal tip aside. "Anyway, no fur off my nose."

As they spoke, a massive ship hove into view past the side of the mountain. Supported by two massive gas-lungs, placed tandem to one another, it sailed on the wind. It was constructed from some dark wood, with gold trimmings at the bow and stern. Colored banners trailed from its keel, creating a multi-hued ripples beneath it. Luna could just barely make out the silver lettering on the prow.

The Triumphant.

"Tell me," she said. "What made you think the weapon was of human origin?"

Ash shrugged. "Hints, clues. My niece is pretty much obsessed with em. Her parents... my brother... don't exactly encourage it, so she writes me every so often. Sent me a few books too." Placing the blade on the grass, he pulled a red-bound book from his saddlebag. "Got this from her last Hearthswarming. Catalog of human tools, from mechanical plows, to swords, to some fairly impressive firearms. Frankly, I'm pretty sure half of this is rubbish."

He opened the book, flipping to a page he had doggeared. "That sword you gave me, however, reminded me of this."

The page showed a weapon nearly identical to the one she had given him. There were some minor differences. The guard was less ornate, the handle simpler, but to ignore the similarity between the two would’ve been folly. Minus the four rings, the handle was nearly an exact match. Ash Coat tapped the page in emphasis. "It's called a 'katar,' or 'punching-dagger.' On the one you gave me, a human could loop his fingers through the rings to get a better grip. The blade was designed to have greater armor-penetration capabilities, and this, combined with its edge, would make it capable of cutting through just about anything."

He looked up at Luna, whose gaze had not left the book. She recognized it, of course. She and Celestia had set about regulating any and all material of such caliber. In fact, to her knowledge, all other copies of this book were safely stored behind a circular door, in a certain underground chamber.

"You... Say your niece found this?"

"Yeah. Some second-hoof bookshop in Ponyville. She's more interested in humans themselves, so she gave me this." He whispered conspiratorially into her ear. "Frankly, I think the whole violence thing just makes her a bit squeamish."

Her eyebrow rose "But not you?"

Ash shrugged. "Smithing is my life. Helmets, swords, dinner plates. It's what I know. I sure as salt don't condone violence, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

There was a long silence. The Triumphant was making its silent way across the sky, its banners blowing lazily in the breeze. Luna caught his Ash's eye. "Have you never wondered why you never learned about humans in school? Or why there are almost no books on them in the library? Have you never considered the possibility that there's a reason they've been erased from Equestrian history?"

The blacksmith nodded. "Sure, I wondered. Maybe we simply didn't have enough information to teach our foals, or to write about them. Maybe they never even existed. Maybe my niece is obsessed with mythological beings." He looked Luna squarely in the eye. "Or maybe... Just, maybe... Someone didn't want anypony to know about them. Maybe somepony with enough power decided that all traces of them should be removed."

Luna didn't answer. What could she say?

You're right?

Ash dropped his gaze. "Still... If half of what you've told me today is true... Well, I can't blame you for being careful." He picked up the dagger. "Which brings me to the last bit about this.

"To remove the blade from its sheath, one needs to squeeze the lip, so it can't be drawn by accident and injure someone. Makes sense, considering how sharp it is." He tapped the side of his head. "And, as I see it, only a human could manage it on his own."

Luna nodded. It wasn't often, but humans were known to be cautious on occasion. However, she saw that something was worrying her friend. She gently nudged him. "Ash? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Ash remained fixated upon the weapon for while longer. With a sigh, he unsheathed it, carefully balancing the blade in his hoof. "This weapon is unprecedented by anything I've ever seen. Or ever made, if you'll forgive me. The design is flawless, the alloy impeccable, and the form is tuned to the finest degree. This is a one-of-a-kind piece of cratsponyship."

Luna furrowed her brow. "I'm afraid I don't see your point."

"It's stamped."

Silence.

"I'm sorry?"

Ash indicated a small line, nearly flush with the blade. "Each layer was poured into a mold, stamped, then repeated the process. I can't say I know much about the process of sharpening it, but I can tell you this: This is only one of many." He looked at Luna. "If we're right, that this is human origin... Well, if they can mass produce this, I'd hate to see what they put actual effort into."

With a click, he snapped the blade fully into its sheath, and handed it back to Luna. Dumbly, Luna accepted it, her mind still reeling from the implications of Ash's words. She snapped back to reality, noticing that he was offering her the book as well.

"You can have this, if it makes you feel any better. I'm not going to learn anything else from it."

She considered the offer for a moment. "...You said this was a present from your niece?"

He looked at her quizzically. "Yes?"

Despite her inner turmoil, she managed a playful smile. "What kind of ruler do you take me for? I'm not that much of a tyrant, am I?"

Ash chuckled, though she could tell it was just as awkward for him. "No, I suppose not." He glanced at The Triumphant, which was nearing the docks. "You'd better set up the welcome mat, Luna. You have a good day now."

"And to you as well, Ash." Closing her eyes, she concentrated, dissolving into a blue mist, shimmering in the daytime sun. In a flash, it sped off across the gardens, clutching the sword in its tendrils. Ash watched as she sped away, looking for one final time at the airship as it prepared to dock.

"Hmm... Gryphon make. A little gaudy. Five-thousand hooves long, maybe twelve-hundred crew, I'd guess. Twenty, twenty-five years. And... Yes, twenty-one ballista ports to a side." He smiled grimly, making his way back to the forge.

"A Valkyrie class warship. We really are deep in it, aren't we?"

---

The arrival of the three ships had attracted a huge crowd to the docks. Denizens of other nations visiting Equestria were common enough, but nopony had anticipated that the airships were delivering not one, but three rulers from their respective kingdoms! Queen Gladys of the Gryphon Kingdom, King Daedalus of the Minotaur Nation, and Chief Thunderhooves of The Plains. All were greeted with pomp, circumstance, and much fanfare. The one pair that garnered the greatest reaction (and certainly resulted in the most mares fainting) were without a doubt, Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, returning from their honeymoon.

As Shining reunited with his barrack-mates, knocking shoulders and greeting eachother in other such stallionly fashion, Princess Celestia took her niece aside, all the while showering her with compliments and congratulations. It came to the point that the blushing Cadence had to cover her aunt's muzzle with her hoof to stem the flow. "Celestia, I'm fine! The honeymoon was lovely, but it's great to be back."

"I'm sure it is," said Celestia, removing Cadence's hoof. "But I still feel that I should apologize for pulling you from your trip early. It doesn't seem right, considering-"

She was cut off as Cadence gave her a quick hug. "Don't worry about it!" She set her hoof to one side of her mouth. "Besides, too much vacations tends to make Shining rather... 'lax.'"

As the two mares chuckled at the lousy pun, a gruff cough from behind caught their attention, and they turned to see the source of the disturbance.

A very stern Gryphon was standing expectantly not far from them, her face void of emotion. Celestia's expression became stony.

"Gladys."

"Celestia."

Cadence could almost feel the ambient temperature dropped about ten degrees. Feeling the tension between the two through her horn, she resisted the urge to resolve the tension herself, despite the temptation.

Gryphon and alicorn slowly approached, each step measured carefully, as if neither party was eager to get too close. The surrounding ponies had gone silent, fearing the worst. Shining, having noticed the disturbance, tensed, ready to protect his Princess.

Now within reach of eachother, both parties raised their fore limbs, preparing to strike.

What followed would later be recorded as one of only four occasions Celestia had ever hoof-bumped anyone, pony or otherwise.

To say that the "crowd went nuts" would be considered an understatement.

Gladys broke into a smile. "Celestia as I live and breathe! You really must teach me how you stay looking so young!"

Celestia chuckled. "Three peanuts a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You ought to lay off the fish, Gladys. You're starting to put on weight."

Gladys gave a hearty laugh, about half an octave deeper than her actual voice. "Pah! You vegetarians sicken me! I'd rather be heavy and healthy than look like a walking toothpick, thank you." Chortling, she gave Celestia a hefty swat on the shoulder with her wing. "Still, it's good to be here. I haven't seen you since..." She thought a moment, her face twisting in her in her attempt to remember. "Wow, I really am getting old!" She laughed, glancing off to the left. "And is that Princess Luna? You must introduce us, Celestia!"

Celestia turned and saw that Luna had, indeed, materialized a few strides away. Celestia was surprised to see her up and about, and except for her wings appearing somewhat ruffled, and perhaps a bit tired, she looked every inch a princess. Celestia felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her, a common occurrence ever since Luna had returned. She smiled. "Luna. Meet Gladys, matriarch of the Gryphon Kingdom."

Luna stepped forward, lowering her head respectfully. "Gladys, Ruler of the gryphons. It is an honor to meet with you."

Gladys cocked her head at Celestia. "A bit old-fashioned, isn't she?"

Luna jerked upright, eyes wide. "We- I'm sorry! I did not mean to offend!..."

She was drowned out by Gladys' laughter. "Hahaha! Easy there, your Highness." Luna felt the air rush from her lungs as Gladys gave her a little-too-hard pat on the back. "You're okay by me!"

So introductions went on. Luna garnered a similar, skeptical response from Daedalus, but Chief Thunderhooves responded to her traditional greeting in kind, praising both her name and her night. Celestia was not the least bit surprised at his knowledge and practice of old traditions.

Celestia smiled. She only wished this meeting of rulers was under better circumstances. The mock wars held friendly rivalry, but it was rarely held between more than two kingdoms at a time. She watched as various crew and dock members began unloading the various ships, The Triumphant largest amongst them. Mares and stallions were sent helter-skelter as the dock-master issued directions. Word was the other ships, bearing the leaders of the Zebwana, as well as The Fenris and Felis kingdoms, would be delayed for yet another two hours, thanks to an errant offshoot from a storm over the Everfree.

The Shadowbolt Captain — Nightfyre, if she recalled correctly,— was persuing the Wind twins, who were currently trying to find out what would happen if you tried to trip an airship.

Soon, the crowd began to disperse, and she bid the regents good day. The afternoon was young, but it had been a long, arduous trip, and all were eager to rest. While inconvenient, delay of the other ships was of little consequence. Two more individuals were due, one of which would not arrive till late afternoon the following day. Until then, they would be treated with civility, and given leave of every privilege Canterlot had to offer.

As activity began to die down, she made her way over to where Shining and Cadence were speaking with Luna. Her sister was shedding tears of laughter, having just listened to Cadence retell the story of Shining and Chief Thunderhooves in the midst of a pie-eating contest; all Celestia had managed to glean from the narration was that the story concluded with the pair clutching the ship's railing for the better part of the following day. Shining was doing his best to act nonchalant, but was blushing furiously. He brightened up at the sight of Celestia, bowing in respect to her presence.

"It is good to see you again, Princess," he said.

"And you as well, Shining." She replied. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"No." Cadence tried to stifle a laugh, but failed. "Not at all."

"Good." Her smile remained, but her eyes became instantly serious. "I wish to speak with you privately."

"Oh, no." Shining straightened, worry written all over his face. "She's done it, hasn't she. Twily blew up the Canterlot Library, and now we have to free Discord to clean up the mess."

The statement earned him several blank stares. "Um, dear," whispered Cadence. "That was just a nightmare you had after the pie... Incident. Remember?"

Shining Armor blushed. "Oh, right!" He rubbed the back of his head, giving Celestia a sheepish look. "So, Twilight's not in trouble, right?"

"She... might be."

An uneasy silence settled over the group. Celestia continued. "But, she's a young mare, and more than capable than taking care of herself. What I wish to speak with you about is much more relevant to here and now."

"What is it?" Cadence asked. "What's wrong?"

Celestia sighed. "I will tell you when we have some more privacy. Suffice to say, we have a situation..."

---

About an hour later, Celestia and Luna were making their way to the younger princess's chambers. Day court would be resuming soon, so Celestia had decided to spend what little free time she had left with her sister. The day was half over, and Luna would need as much rest as she could get for the guiding the moon come evening.

Upon hearing the news Celestia had to give them, and a good deal of convincing and mediation on Luna's part, Shining Armor and Cadence had retired to their chamber. Celestia really couldn't blame them. It was hardly news they wished to hear, much less news she wanted to give them personally. But the situation called for desperate measures, and though they were more than a little reluctant to acquiesce to her conditions, they agreed it was necessary.

After a time, Luna spoke. "Well... That went as well as could be expected."

Celestia sighed. "I can hardly blame them, all things considered. This whole situation has turned the kingdom upside-down."

"It is no fault of yours, sister."

"Perhaps. It doesn't make it any easier, though."

Luna laughed. "Is it ever easy?"

Despite herself, Celestia cracked a smile. "Only with age."

They continued on for a while longer. As the doors to her chamber came into view, Luna remembered something. "Tia, would you do me a favor?"

"Hm?"

Luna extended her wing, revealing the dagger concealed in its folds. "Could you return this to Vault one-hundred-and-seventeen? I promised to do so myself, but I fear I got caught up in the excitement."

Celestia came to a full stop at the sight of the weapon. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then...

"You took this—a potentially dangerous object—from The Vault?"

Luna shrunk under her sister's gaze. Celestia continued. "And where did you take it?"

"I... I have a friend that I... Thought could help."

Celestia placed herself directly in front of Luna. "Ash Coat, I presume? And so, you risked exposing the knowledge of humans to the world, just for a second opinion?"

...

"Luna? Answer me please."

Luna dropped her gaze to the floor, tears welling in her eyes. The day had been going so well... "Yes, sister. I did."

Braced for a verbal tirade, possibly even physical force, Luna was stunned to feel Celestia gently nuzzle her, placing her head at the place where her neck joined the shoulder. After only a moment's hesitation, Luna returned the gesture. They stayed that way for some time. When they drew apart, Luna saw that she was smiling. "You," said Celestia. "Are an impulsive, impudent, obnoxious little twit."

She gently caressed Luna's muzzle in her wing. "And that's all the proof I'll ever need to know your my sister."

A single tear streaked down Luna's cheek, but Celestia gently wiped it away. "When the weight of the world was closing in, you took initiative, you thought outside of the box. You found one piece of the puzzle, and instead of running willy-nilly trying to make every other piece fit, you took your time to find where it belonged." She took the proffered blade from Luna, balancing it on her own wing. "Small a piece as it is, it's one less to deal with. That is the mark of a leader, who finds where everything, and everypony, belongs."

Luna gently swatted her sister. "And everypony calls me melodramatic."

Celestia shrugged. "Drama is as drama does." She held up the sword. "Find anything interesting about this?"

Luna's face fell "Nothing good."

"Then please save it for later. Much as I'd love to hear more about human butchering implements, I'd rather my head be clear for court."

Luna felt a space open in the pit of her stomach. She disliked humans as much as her sister, but to here her so casually dismiss them felt... Wrong.

She shook her head. "As you wish, sister. Shall I see you this evening for breakfast?"

"As you wish, sister," Celestia turned, retracing her steps down the hall.

"Oh, wait a moment!"

She stopped, looking over her shoulder. "Yes?"

"One of the ponies in The Vault, Rocket Surgeon, said you were responsible for his presence on the committee."

Celestia felt a shiver run down her spine. "Ah... You'll have to be more specific."

"Class of 996?"

Blast! "Oh, that Rocket Surgeon."

Celestia tried to form the words as delicately as she could. "Well... Ah... You see..."

Luna waited patiently for her sister to find her voice. Finally, Celestia sighed. "Remember when we freed you from Nightmare?"

She shivered at the name. "Yes?"

"You asked what I'd done with my hair."

"Yes, I did. I seem to recall you didn't answer."

Celestia bit her lip. "Let's just say, Promethean fire, mixed with two parts rainbow and combined with a lightning bolt can have... Interesting results."

Before Luna could inquire further, Celestia warped away in a flash of light.

---

As she entered her chambers, she found everything was as she had left it. The curtains were open, the sheets a mess, and her abacus remained untouched.

She sighed, giving a small smile. "Perfect."

She got into bed, snuggling herself beneath the covers. As an afterthought, she drew the curtains once more with her magic, sending the room into darkness. She then replaced her tiara on her nightstand, setting it gently upon the cushion.

The day had not been restful.

But it had been fulfilling.

Smiling, she felt her eyelids grow heavy once more. It felt nice, to participate in palace life once more. It wasn't the same as a thousand years previous, but perhaps it was better for that.

Today, she thought, I rest easy, Let Tia do as she does. Tonight...

She began formulating her plan of action, even as she drifted off to sleep. Her mind briefly lingered upon Celestia mentioning Nightmare once more. She shoved the thought aside.

Some day soon, she wouldn't need to resort to civic duties to relieve her consciousness.

Her mind slowly drifted into the abyss of slumber, a small smile on her features.

Some day, she would be free of Nightmare entirely.

But not, I think, today...

Comments

[Brony 2-Ma-Ro]

Thank you, everypony, for your patience. Expect more frequent updates in the future.

[Browncoat Spike]

Man, I can't believe you finally updated this story! This was excellent stuff, that bit with Shining and the pie eating contest was hilarious! I really hope you can update this story more frequently in the future.